Brett Favre Says Parkinson’s Has ‘Progressed a Little Faster’ Than He Hoped

Brett Favre is sharing an update on his life with Parkinson’s disease.

After sharing his nervous system disorder diagnosis with the world back in 2024, the Pro Football Hall of Famer told TMZ Sports Thursday that the disease has “progressed a little faster” than he had hoped, but that he’s holding on to hope for a cure.

Focusing on exercise and clinical trials is all Favre, 56, said he can do, as he stressed, “No way in hell am I giving up.”

The former athlete revealed that he’s consulted five specialists who all agree he’s taking the right steps and who have shared with him that medical researchers are closer than ever to finding a cure.

“I’m just praying for a cure for me and millions out there who have the same disease,” Favre told the outlet. “I’m early. Even though it’s been three years, it’s still early in this disease, so I’m holding out hope something can at least stop the progression, if not cure it.”

Favre first disclosed his diagnosis in September 2024 while testifying before the House Ways and Means Committee.

Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder of the nervous system that worsens over time, according to the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms are progressive and can include tremors, stiffness, difficulty moving and trouble with balance that raises the risk of falling.

“Everyone attributes Parkinson’s with shaking, and most people [tell me], ‘I don’t see much shaking.’ I have a little shaking, but not like Muhammad Ali or Michael J. Fox,” Favre said on The Sage Steele Show podcast in September 2025. “Mine is rigidity and stiffness. The problem with that is I have rigid and stiff joints on my right side – really on both sides, but the right side is bothering me. So the Parkinson’s is making it worse.

“I have a hard time swallowing. One of the doctors, out of the blue, said, ‘How’s your swallowing?’ And I was like, ‘It’s not as easy as it was,’” he continued. “He said that’s one of the things that’s affected. There are times where I think I’m choking. So it’s sort of scary because they can’t fix that.”

Last month, Favre explained on his 4th and Favre podcast, “I’m probably like most people – I thought there was just one Parkinson’s and that was it. There’s not. There’s multiple, many forms of Parkinson’s. And I have what’s called idiopathic, which is the most common.”

“I think the other thing most people think when they hear of Parkinson’s is they think of shaking,” he continued. “I get from time to time, ‘Oh you must not be too bad because you don’t shake.’ I have very little shaking. I have some, but it’s pretty rare. But as I’ve learned, the Parkinson’s that I have has three different characteristics. One of those three you’ll have as the dominant side effect. It’s cognitive and memory is one. Shaking and tremors is two. And rigidity and stiffness is three. I major in the rigidity and stiffness.”